Information for the seller

Twice a year, early May and early November, we conduct auctions over several days, with about 4000 sold items of various kinds.

We appraise your artworks throughout the year and offer a confidential and free expertise. Upon your request, we can include it to one of our future auction sales. We voluntarily come to the domicile of our clients to appraise unique valuable items or more important collections.

Course of action

The face-to-face advising and evaluations are free of charge and not biding for the two parties. In the situation an auction contract is concluded, our employees will then include the works in our catalogue after a professional analysis. Subsequently they will be stored in our house while waiting for the sale. The seller will then receive by email a contract including the appraisal of the artwork. The items are displayed for the possible buyers for 10 days during a visit prior the sale. This provides the opportunity to see in person the items that will be auctioned.
Thanks to the large circulation catalogue sent both in Switzerland and overseas, thanks to the reputation of our exhibitions and their attendance, our offer is made accessible to a wide circle of art lovers. When we receive works well in advance, we have more time to conduct a thorough research and thus put together an attractive presentation.

Contract

The auctioning order is the legal basis of your purchase commission. All the agreements are then set in writing. By signing, you entrust your artwork to our auction house to sell it to the highest bidder and through the same affirm to be the legal owner of the auctioned work.

Estimated price

The estimated price is the price of your artwork that was decided through our care and with your agreement and which will be subsequently published in the catalogue.

Limit

The limit is the minimum price at which you are ready to sell your artwork (before deducting the sales commission and taxes).

“Fixed” Limit: the agreed lower limit is not exceeded.
“Best”: the sale will not take place below the rate range between the half and two thirds of the agreed appraisal.
“No limit”: no limit has been set; the sale can be completed at any price.

The limit remains confidential between the seller and the auction house. The limit is generally below or near the appraised price as published in the catalogue.

Grant/ Hammer price

The grant (hammer price) is the price at which the auctioneer awards the item. From this price are deducted the sales commission, the purchase commission and the VAT.

Rates/ Sales Commissions

The auction house receives from the vendor a sales commission in which is included the insurance premium. It represents the remuneration coming to the auction house for its services. The level of the sales commission is calculated as follows:

starting from

up to

20%

For a purchase value

CHF 2'499

16%

For a purchase value

CHF 2'500

CHF 9'999

14%

For a purchase value

CHF 10'000

CHF 49'999

12%

For a purchase value

CHF 50'000

CHF 99'999

10%

For a purchase value

CHF 100'000

Insurance

All the sold items are automatically insured against all risks. If your work was not sold, the following rates apply:

For items with limit: 1 % of the limit
For items without limit: 0.5 % of the appraised price

Catalogue

In our paper catalogue, each lot is described according to the current scientific criteria. An image also accompanies some lots.
As the choice of the representation of an artwork in the paper catalogue is often made during the creation of the catalogue, we urge you to trust in our long experience and allow us to decide regarding the reproductions and their format. In any case, only works of appropriate value are represented in the catalogue and we guarantee that each format is suitable to the appraised value of the work. In addition, on our website, a text and a photo illustrate each one of the offered works. Even items that do not have photos in the paper catalogue can be viewed on our website. For this, a CHF 15 contribution per item is charged for the Internet photography (these charges are removed in the case of a photography in the paper catalogue).

Costs for the catalogue illustrations:

1/4 page, colour

CHF 80,-

1/3 page, colour

CHF 100,-

1/2 page, colour

CHF 150,-

1/1 page, colour

CHF 300,-

Reproductions in the general catalogue

CHF 50.-

Special formats

on request

Internet Image

CHF 15,-

Transport

We would be happy to advise you regarding the most affordable mean of transportation suited to your artwork. Transport costs are born by the seller.

After the auction/ Results List

Following the auction, we will contact you in order to inform you if your artwork has been sold and at what price. You will also receive our results list by email.
Payment is made within six weeks after the auction, if the acquirer has himself paid the purchase in full. We prefer to pay the sum with a bank transfer to a bank account, but, if there is a prior agreement, we can also pay by check or cash.